Chapter 13 Carli
Carli
You’ve gotta risk it to get the biscuit.
~ Unknown
The senior fire inspector, Randall, shuffles the papers on his desk and stands.
“Ready?” he asks me.
“As I’ll ever be,” I answer, feeling the too-casual tone a moment too late. “Yes. I am,” I add.
“Good. Good. Let’s get you out in the field.” He straightens his glasses, pushing the stems past the greying hair at his temples. Despite his neutral tone, the scowl lines in his forehead deepen when he glances at me before stepping into the hallway.
I follow Randall toward the staircase leading down to the lobby.
A familiar voice calls my name, stopping me mid-stride.
“Carli!” David says with a warm smile. “First day?”
“Yes,” I smile. “I’m shadowing Randall.”
“Showin’ her the ropes,” Randall says. “Can’t send her out to the wolves alone on her first day.”
Well. That sounds promising.
David chuckles. “I’m sure it’s not that bad.”
“You’d be surprised,” Randall says. “People always try to take advantage of their relationship with you. You know? That we’ve known each other since we were kids crap. Maybe I do know you, but I’m still issuing you a code violation and you can thank me later.”
He loops the thumb of his free hand in a belt loop and leans back slightly, puffing out his chest.
“What brings you to the county offices?” I ask David, trying to redirect the conversation.
“Oh,” David says, a look of mild surprise morphing his features. “Chief Hayes didn’t tell you?”
“Tell me … ?”
“I’m being promoted. Chief Hayes is retiring and I’m moving into his position.”
“Oh. Wow. Congratulations,” I say.
No wonder he was a part of my interview.
Randall taps his clipboard to the side of his leg.
“Who’s going to be the new captain—in your place?” I ask.
“I’ve encouraged someone to apply. Applications officially open soon. You’ll be looped in when the position’s filled. Both of you,” David looks from Randall to me.
“Well,” Randall says. “We’d better get to it.”
“Good seeing you, Carli,” David says.
“You too.”
The air is warmer when we walk out into the parking lot behind the offices. Spring is making promises I hope she’ll keep.
We climb into Randall’s county vehicle and I buckle up.
Will Cody apply to be captain? Our jobs will overlap if he does.
I doubt Dustin will apply. But you never know. Patrick would make a good captain, but he’s got his podcast to juggle on his days off and he helps Daisy at the bookshop when he can. Greyson’s a good, strong leader, but he’s so reserved. I guess time will tell.
We drive across town to Judy’s Diner. Randall talks the whole way about being stern and firm and never giving in to the pressure townspeople put on you to cut them some slack.
He’s a pessimist. I’d love to say his doomsaying doesn’t get to me, but I’m starting to wonder what I’ve gotten myself into by the time we park in the parking lot and walk into Judy’s.
The place is buzzing with locals, as always.
The smell of syrup and bacon and the low murmur of conversation wraps through the room.
“Remember, you’re an inspector when you’re on the clock,” Randall says in a conspiratorial tone while the hostess leaves the front counter to go search for Judy.
“Doesn’t matter if they were your favorite first grade teacher.
If things aren’t up to code, it’s your job to tell them and to be sure they comply. ”
I nod. Welcome to being Waterford’s most hated citizen. This was not what I imagined when I dreamt of code enforcement. Randall’s making it sound like people are going to be standing guard with whispers of “Here she comes, quick, duck!”
Judy walks out of the back, following the hostess to where Randall and I are standing.
“Randall,” she says cooly. Something tells me he’s earned that greeting.
Her tone warms when she looks at me. “Carli! Girl, it’s been a hot minute since we’ve seen you around here. Have you eaten? I heard you got the job. Good for you. Can I get you something to eat? On the house.”
“I ate breakfast, but I could …”
“No thank you, Judy,” Randall says, interrupting me. “Carli’s on the clock for the county and she doesn’t take kindly to bribery.”
Judy crosses her arms over her chest. “Oh, get over yourself. You know I wasn’t tryin’ to bribe anyone. It’s just been a while since I’ve seen Carli and I’d like to celebrate her new position. Why don’t you do everyone a favor and get the stick out of your patootie, Randall.”
I tuck my lips in and study the scuff marks on the tile floor.
Randall and Judy stare one another down for what feels like an eternity.
Finally he breaks and says, “We’re here to do your inspection.”
“So I figured,” Judy huffs. She looks at me. “Don’t worry, Carli, I won’t hold you accountable for anything this man says or does. You and I have known one another since you were born.”
Randall looks at me and cocks a brow. I placate him with a restrained smile.
“Let’s start with your smoke detectors,” Randall says, poising his clipboard and unclipping the pen.
Judy tours us through the restaurant, showing us where each extinguisher is mounted or stored and providing proof of their charge dates. Then she takes us to the two fire alarms. The stations are accessible. We walk toward the back door.
“Exit’s still marked like it’s always been,” she says in a bored tone.
Randall asks me what I see that’s a safety issue. I point to the boxes stacked in two towers, slightly blocking the back exit door. People could still move in and out, but in an emergency, they’d be a hindrance.
The smug smile Randall gives Judy sends me back to my childhood when I’d occasionally tattle on Jace just to get a rise out of him. My throat feels tight. Randall’s setting me up to snitch on Judy and he’s getting way too much satisfaction in the process.
“You need to move those boxes,” Randall points to the two towers.
“Yeah. Yeah. I know,” Judy says. “Jimmy just set those there this morning. I’ll get to ’em. We had a rush. And before you get out your clipboard and get all happy scribbling things, we stayed within occupancy. Just barely. You know how that pancake special brings them in like flies to manure.”
Randall quips, “Is that your new slogan?”
“You’re exasperatin’. You know that, Randall?” Judy huffs. “Some people and their power trips. I’m tellin’ ya. There’s only one man I answer to, and he’s the man upstairs.”
“Judy, this is a one-story building,” Randall says. “No men live upstairs.”
She rolls her eyes and then raises her brows in my direction. “Don’t go copying Randall, Carli. There’s ways to do the job. And then there’s ways to do the job.”
I smile at Judy and then quickly shoot Randall a professional expression that tells him I’m not going soft.
“We’ll be back in two weeks, Judy,” Randall says after we tour the rest of the kitchen. “Have the issues fixed by then.”
“Promises, promises,” Judy says, staring pointedly at Randall. “Men always say they’ll come back.”
I can’t be sure, but I think Randall blushes. He runs a finger under his starched collar. “Well, that’ll be all. Let’s go, Carli. Good day, Judy.”
Judy crosses her arms over her chest. “Soon as you let the front door hit you in the backside it will be a mighty fine day.”
Then she turns to me, her face softening. “Bye, dear. Come back for a celebration lunch on me anytime—with or without your clipboard.”
I mutter a thanks and hurry out behind Randall.
Randall and Judy? Could it be? The tension between them could have set off a kitchen fire.
Maybe their history is common knowledge.
Being on the farm doesn’t shield us from gossip, but we stay busy and we don’t get into town as often as most people.
I guess I’ll be catching up on whatever I missed now.
The next few inspections are far less interesting.
We return to the offices, file reports and clock out.
I’m tired, but smiling all the way home.
I did it. I made it through my first day at work.
I want to call McKenna—but I hesitate. What if I accidentally blurt something about Cody.
The kiss. The way he tapped my foot under the table during lunch at the bakery. How he looks at me now. It’s different.
I don’t know what he wants to talk about—in general, yes.
Specifically, no. He could recite the myriad of reasons why we can never kiss again.
And he’d be right. But, maybe … I can’t even go there.
My smile falls just the slightest and my skin feels too tight.
But then I remember his lips on mine. Twice.
And the smile spreads like honey on a warm biscuit.
I guess I’ll find out one way or another tomorrow in the Lawsons’ barn.
The smell of warm biscuits fills the cab of my truck. I brought local honey and butter I hand churned in a mason jar. Extra? Yes. It’s extra. But I woke before the sun and needed something to do with all this pent-up energy.
My fingers practically tingle on the steering wheel and my knee bounces lightly as I turn into the Lawsons’ driveway.
Cody’s truck is pulled up close to the other cars in front of the main house.
He’s here.
I open the door and grab the warm pan of biscuits with the bag of toppings, telling myself this is just another morning. Just another trip to bring my neighbors something home-cooked.
The door pops open and I brace myself for the rush of seeing Cody.
McKenna bounds onto the porch. “Carli!”
“Hey!” I shout out, regrouping quickly.
I’m happy to see her. I am. Of course I am.
“It’s been way too long!” she exclaims.
A rush of guilt floods me, dulling the buzz of excitement under my skin like a shot of novocaine.
“How was your first day?”
“It was good.” I return McKenna’s smile. “I have so much to tell you.”
She links her arm through mine, grabbing the bag of honey and butter and peeking inside it.
“Girl. You went all out. Homemade butter? Tuttle’s honey?”
“I just wanted to treat you guys.”